SAN DIEGO – Being cooped up in a pound isn't fun for any dog, but Corky
the pit bull seems especially cranky this afternoon. When the assistant
director of the San Diego County Department of Animal Services walks by, the
chocolate-brown Corky locks his gaze with hers and refuses to let go.

"He's staring me down," says Dawn Danielson, a veteran animal control
specialist, as the dog's body stiffens and his pupils dilate. "That's a bad
stare, not a good trait in any dog."

NOT WELCOME: Erik Patomson of Council Bluffs, Iowa, opposes a ban the
city recently enacted on pit bulls.

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No wonder Corky has been on the shelter's adoption list for weeks,
awaiting a new owner, while the smallest and cutest pooches zip out the door
in a matter of days. But at least Corky has company: On this day, 24 of the
108 dogs at the county shelter's main facility are pit bulls or pit-bull
mixes.

Some, like Corky, look like they've been trained for trouble. But many of
the others bound to the front of their cages to see visitors, wagging their
tails furiously as they lick fingers poked through the bars.

"We don't like to paint with a broad brush," Ms. Danielson says. "Not

all pit bulls are bad, and not all pit bulls are good. They're
individuals, like all dogs."

Nonetheless, aggressive postures like Corky's define the pit bull in the
minds of many Americans, one result of well-publicized attacks that make the
animal seem "more demon than dog," says Julia Szabo, a New York City
pit-bull advocate.

While activists like Ms. Szabo try to rehabilitate their favorite dog's
image, hundreds of pit bulls continue to languish in animal shelters. And
now lawmakers in Georgia and a Canadian province are vowing to clamp down on
pit bulls.

Lawmakers in Georgia are sponsoring a bill that would, with minor
exceptions, ban the selling and breeding of pit bulls. Similar legislation
is up for consideration in the Canadian province of Ontario.

No one knows exactly how many pit bulls live in the United States, nor is
it clear whether the number of abandoned animals has gone up or down.
However, the pit bull population "explosion" shows no sign of waning, animal
advocates say, especially in cities where the dogs are common sights in
urban neighborhoods.

"If you walk through almost any animal shelter, you're going to see
anywhere from 25 percent to more than 60 percent of the dog population
comprised of pit bulls," says Eric Sakach, director of the West Coast
regional office of the Humane Society of the United States.

Considering their heritage, it's no surprise that pit bulls have a
reputation for aggressiveness. Pit bulls trace their history to the early
19th century, when they were used in bull-baiting. Contrary to popular
belief, they're not a breed, but instead a type of dog that encompasses
several kinds of terriers.

Are pit bulls inherently aggressive? Insurance companies seem to think
so: Some refuse to offer property coverage to pit-bull owners out of fear of
liability claims. Others say the dogs are inherently vicious.

But advocates like Szabo say irresponsible and mean owners are to blame.
"These dogs are cruelly treated," says Szabo, who writes a pet column for
the New York Post. "They are so attached to their owners that they'll do
anything for them to please them, and cruel people take advantage of that by
forcing them to do things that are not in their nature. They're fought
against each other, they're kept in chains from the time they're puppies."

The Humane Society of the US, which monitors dogfighting magazines and
websites, estimates that 40,000 Americans participate in organized
dog-fighting rings, and tens of thousands of other people make their dogs
fight on the street. Adding to the dogs' profile in the public eye, "rap
singers and people in professional sports have used the dogs as props," says
Mr. Sakach.

Not all the news about pit bulls is bad. In Washington D.C., the
percentage of abandoned pit bulls in the pound has dropped by half since the
late 1990s. Now, only a quarter of the impounded dogs are pit bulls.

Meanwhile, networks of pit-bull owners - reportedly including celebrities
like Mel Brooks and actress Linda Blair - are promoting the dogs. "There are
more and more people who really understand that these are incredibly
affectionate, loyal, beautiful dogs," Szabo says. "They need and deserve a
second chance."

However, the some-of-my-best-friends-are-pit-bulls argument hasn't budged
the American and Canadian lawmakers who are pushing to outlaw the dogs.

"We heard loud and clear that Ontarians want to be protected from the
menace of pit bulls," said Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant in a
statement.

Regardless of the outcome of the legislative efforts, the pit bull seems
likely to remain a tough sell. Even when friendly and affectionate, they're
physically strong and energetic. "They're a lot of dog," says shelter
official Danielson.

And what of Corky the pit bull? He'll soon enter his third month at the
San Diego pound, still waiting for someone to see him as a challenge instead
of a threat.

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